Your Sussex Wedding news and ideas from around the area

Three spicy but sophisticated hen party ideas

Throwing a hen party that will please all attendees can be tricky. Striking a balance between risque and tame activities can be one of the most controversial challenges you'll face when planning. In fact, some of the more crude hen party gimmicks came out in the top 10 most hated parts of a hen party in this report. However, you can create a hen party that strikes the perfect balance between spice and sophistication, ensuring a night to remember for both the bride and her friends. Jess Martin, Hen Party expert at Ginger Ray has shared three amazing themes for the perfect spicy but sophisticated hen party:

Check out The Vintage Games Company at Mercedes-Benz World

Surrey's The Vintage Games Company will be exhibiting at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World on April 28th and will have a range of vintage games on display. "We are passionate about beautiful vintage and antique games, and the magic they can bring to you and your guests. We believe that although some of our games have plenty of history, they all have an exciting future being enjoyed at your events, parties and weddings. Nothing beats the childlike joy of playing with these antique and vintage beauties!" shares owner Amelia. "Come and find us at the wedding show to have a go with some of our games, and post your enquiry in our traditional red post box!"

Browns Kitchen Events will be exhibiting at the County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show

Browns Kitchen Events will be exhibiting at the County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World in Weybridge on April 28th. Based close to Dorking in the Surrey Hills, the company is in the perfect location to do what they do best in the Surrey area having helped create and deliver many stunning weddings in the county over the years. Owner, Lee Brown says, "We offer not only professional and innovative catering but also guide you through your Wedding day step by step, giving you advice and direction where required, ensuring a smooth and memorable day.

Surrey's Love Me Do Brides has some exciting news it wants to shout about

Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World regular, Love Me Do Brides, has certainly been busy since our last event in October - the company now has its own wedding TV Show! Called Wedding Mayhem, it launched just three months ago and has already won an award for it! "We've just had Arg from TOWIE in this week to talk about his wedding band," shares owner Sharon. "It was mad! He was lovely and helped launch our rebrand!

Meet The Oyster Society at our events and try a delicious oyster!

Oysters are the perfect addition to elevate your wedding reception with luxury! Catering to weddings and events across the UK, The Oyster Society, is a premium mobile event caterer from London, offering exclusive services with expert oyster shuckers and Champagne walkers. "Our hostesses will roam during your wedding reception, serving freshly shucked oysters and Champagne directly to you, ensuring the freshest and most luxurious experience possible," - the team at The Oyster Society

Looking for a calm, friendly, down to earth wedding photographer?

Myriame Lawley Photography is an award-winning Surrey-based photographer exhibiting at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World on April 28th. Myriame's adds, "Based in Surrey and covering the south of England I am dedicated to delivering you beautiful and timeless memories of your wedding day, so if you think we would be a good match, then pop by my stand at Mercedes- Benz Signature Wedding Show - I would love to meet you, hear your plans and ensure you remember your wedding day! "I shall be offering a £200 discount off any of my three collections if booked on the day, or 10% off any collection if booked within two weeks of the show."

Come and meet Sandra and Paul, an instrumental duo on violin and guitar

In the last ten years Sandra & Paul, with the violin and a guitar, have made hundreds of events memorable and will be showcasing their musical repertoire at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World on April 28th. What makes them stand out is their imaginative, tasteful arrangements and synergic, communicative playing. Their repertoire spans many genres and styles covering songs from every decade from the 1920s till today.Whether you're after an elegant and refined duo at the reception, an upbeat and wild country folk barn dance, or DJ freestyle violin impro, Sandra and Paul are able to enhance and excite your event with music and make it memorable.

Find out more about Surrey’s licensed wedding venues with County Wedding Events

Find out more about Surrey's licensed wedding venues and have your questions answered by the Ceremonies Team at Surrey County Council's Registration and Nationality Service who are very excited to be exhibiting at the Mercedes-Benz World Signature Wedding Show in April 2024. "Our experienced team of Registrars will be available to discuss your ceremony queries and questions. We'll also be on hand to show you all of the beautiful, licensed venues Surrey has to offer, including our three fantastic Register Offices in Leatherhead, Guildford and Weybridge.

Find your big-day bake at Mercedes-Benz World

Irresistible Cakes by Michelle specialises in crafting modern wedding cakes. With more than 14 years of experience in cake crafting and training from the esteemed culinary school Le Cordon Bleu, Michelle is committed to making your dream wedding cake a reality. Join her at the Signature Show at Mercedes-Benz World, where you can experience her unique creativity firsthand, seek answers to all your cake-related queries, and receive a complimentary wedding cake checklist to ensure seamless planning for your special day.

Check out Sight 'n' Sounds' set up at Mercedes-Benz World

The award-winning Sight 'n' Sound is one of the leading mobile discotheques in the Southeast of England, and will be exhibiting at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World on 28th April. "Once again Sight 'n' Sound will be exhibiting our 'white wedding disco' along with our exclusive LOVE letters and uplights," shares owner Harvey. "We will be on hand to explain how we can make your function special and unique, plus answer your questions. We also have a white sparkly LED dancefloor and low-smoke dry ice effect machine."

The Gallivant Camber Sands appoints Conor Sheehan as its new hotel manager

The Gallivant Camber Sands, a boutique adults-only property located a short journey from historic Rye, has recently appointed Conor Sheehan as its new hotel manager. Conor's journey in the hospitality industry began at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen, where he worked his way through the ranks before assuming a variety of leadership roles across some of the most recognised and celebrated hospitality brands in the industry. Assuming responsibility for The Gallivant's operational running, Conor's expertise, dedication to and personal interest in the food and beverage industry will see him collaborate closely with The Gallivant's head chef, Nico Fitzgerald, to enhance the restaurant's local and national standing.

Experts share 5 tips on accommodating deaf guests at your wedding

Planning a wedding can be challenging, especially when there are so many decisions to be made and so many things to be considered. Whilst this is your big day, considering your guests can go a long way, especially for those who have disabilities or are hard of hearing. In the UK, one in five adults is deaf, has hearing loss or tinnitus, so the likelihood of having someone who may need additional help when it comes to hearing in attendance is quite likely. Ashish Shah, Audiologist at The Hearing Care Partnership has offered his expert advice on how you can better accommodate your deaf and hard-of-hearing guests.

These daily habits are ruining your wedding ring

If you've been the lucky recipient of a diamond ring or a piece of jewellery, Nilesh Rakholia, jewellery expert and founder of Abelini, has shared exactly how to care for your precious diamonds to ensure they last a lifetime... Nilesh says: "While it can be tempting to wear precious items such as an engagement ring all the time, daily habits such as cooking and cleaning can damage your jewellery. To avoid this, we always recommend removing jewellery before showering or washing up because the soap can cause a film to form, which can leave rings and bracelets looking dull.

A third of Brits decline wedding invites due to cost Klarna finds

The wedding season is just around the corner! What is normally a cause for joy can often become a financial strain for guests. Travel, outfits, gifts – the costs can quickly soar to unexpected heights. This is also confirmed by a recent survey by Klarna*, the flexible choice for smart, secure payments: One third (36.4%) of those surveyed said they had declined wedding invitations in the past due to associated costs. Moreover, 30.2% of respondents said they have not attended a Stag or Hen party due to the expenses involved.

Tempting favours with Sweetzboxes

SweetzBoxes is a Berkshire-based company specialising in creating beautiful favours for your special day designed according to your colour theme and style. Pop along to the County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Ascot Racecourse on Sunday 7th April, and Mercedes-Benz World on 28th April to see what SweetzBoxes can do to make your day one to remember for your guests.

Wedding traditions which are falling out of favour with younger generations

Researchers surveyed Gen Z couples and found many traditional wedding and proposal traditions which are falling out of favour with younger generations. But it's good news for the father-of-the-bride, as 54 percent said expecting parents to cough up for the big day was no longer necessary. Other things which are likely to fall out of favour are asking the bride's father for permission to propose (43 percent), sleeping apart the night before the wedding (38 percent) and the bride taking their partner's name (35 percent).

Of the 2,000 18- to 27-year-olds, surveyed by Churchill, as many as 86 percent believe the traditional stereotype of men proposing to women is old hat – and women should be able to pop the question too.

A third (29 percent) think that being given away is no longer necessary, while 27 percent say that tossing the bouquet is out of style. Being carried over the threshold (26 percent), promising to obey in the vows (25 percent) and wearing a veil (19 percent) are also falling out of favour.

Let your love grow with The Paint Club Studio in Lewes!

The team at The Paint Club Studio in Lewes are pleased to announce their new plant pot sculpting workshops, which are perfect for hen parties and private events. Where do we sign up? In this two-hour session you're shown how to create your very own plant pot using air dry clay. Get creative with your own design or use some of the Studio's designs as inspiration. Each person gets a plant to take away with them, plus some sealant to finish its pot once it's dry. Sculpting with clay is known to have therapeutic qualities, making this event relaxing as well as fun. The Paint Club Studio is also running prosecco bottle painting workshops from April 2024.

9 in 10 newlyweds say budgeting is the biggest wedding stress

New research of newlyweds has revealed that 9 in 10 newlyweds find budgeting to be the biggest wedding stress. Queensmith's research surveyed 1,000 recently married couples throughout the UK, exploring the most and least enjoyable aspects, as well as the most stressful moments, leading up to their weddings and during the day itself. Weddings take a lot of time to plan in order to make them fabulous, but they also cost a pretty hefty sum of money too. Looking at the most stressful aspects of wedding, a whopping 93% of respondents said budgeting was the most stressful part of planning a wedding.

South Lodge, West Sussex, launches a series of one-day wellness retreats

Country house spa hotel South Lodge in West Sussex, heralds another revolution of the year with a series of one-day wellness retreats that embrace the evolving energy of the seasons. Here, you're invited to switch off from the everyday and engage your senses, as you recharge and reconnect in the Sussex countryside with forest-bathing expert Helena Skoog. The one-day Nature Immersion Spa Experiences harness the power of Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese awareness meditation of forest bathing, thought to be an antidote to anxiety, depression, fear and tension. It sounds to us like the perfect remedy to wedding-planning stress! Led by Helena, who has lived off-grid for five years among ancient forestrylanguages of renewal, growth and change.

Hen party dos and don'ts according to brides

Planning a hen party can be a stressful task, and with more and more brides opting for weekends over one last night of single life, there's even more pressure to get it right. To help you create the perfect celebration, Amy Greenshields, party planning expert at cardfactory spoke to 10 recent brides and bride-to-bes, unveiling their hen party dos and don'ts. Using this insight, Amy shares her top tips for 'kissing the miss goodbye' in style.